“He Works Outside the Home; She Drinks Coffee and Does the Dishes” Gender Roles in Fiction Programs on Dutch Television

Abstract

Using a sample of 503 prime-time fiction programs broadcast on Dutch television between 1980 and 2005, the study compared gender portrayals in programs produced in the US with Dutch programs. It revealed more older males, more females involved in childcare, more males in paid employment, and fewer males involved in other activities in American than in Dutch programs. Over time, television appears to resist changes regarding greater equality of gender roles in Dutch society. However, there seems to be a convergence in the share, the age distribution, and the sexual orientation of male and female characters in fiction programs on Dutch television.

Notes

Note: ^aTotal: X ² (N = 2097) = 27.76; df = 5; p < .001.

^bTotal: X ² (N = 2103) = 45.84; df = 2; p < .001.

^cTotal: X ² (N = 2103) = 26.03; df = 1; p < .001.

^dTotal: X ² (N = 2102) = 131.02; df = 3; p < .001.

*p < .05

**p < .01.

¹Author's analysis on data collection within the framework of a longitudinal survey project on Social and Cultural Changes in the Netherlands (SOCON). This project started in 1979 and is repeated every 5 years since then. The scale (Cronbach's Alpha = 0,674) is constituted of four items (V0234-V0237). For example: “It is not really as important for a girl to get a good education as it is for a boy” (V0235).

²1990: Nederland 1, 2 and 3 and RTL 4. 1995: Nederland 1, 2 and 3, RTL 4 and 5, VTV/Kindernet, Veronica and SBS 6. 2000: Nederland 1, 2 and 3, RTL 4 and 5, Net 5, Fox, Veronica and SBS 6. 2005: Nederland 1, 2, and 3, RTL4, RTL5, RTL7, SBS6, Net5, Nickelodeon/Talpa, Veronica.